I've been doing oil pulling for general health unrelated to teeth/gum issues and recently started again. It's not bad, I use sesame oil and rinse with salt water after. I guess when ever I go back for a check up I'll know if it did anything to help with my gum problems/periodontitis.

Well, I finally got my butt into the dentist and I'm cavity-free which was my big concern. Woooo!

However, the dentist said within the next year I should have the fillings in my three molars replaced because there is some decay around the edges. He took pics and showed me that there is a little bit of black in some of the vertical fissures near the edge of the filling. The estimate is $750 for all three...yikes! Has anyone had this experience?? I'm 27, only had these fillings for about 12 years and it seems weird to me to have to replace the whole thing. Is this a scam or legit? He said fillings won't last as long depending on the skill of the dentist who did them and also if you grind your teeth (I do). I really have no idea here!

However, the dentist said within the next year I should have the fillings in my three molars replaced because there is some decay around the edges. He took pics and showed me that there is a little bit of black in some of the vertical fissures near the edge of the filling. The estimate is $750 for all three...yikes! Has anyone had this experience?? I'm 27, only had these fillings for about 12 years and it seems weird to me to have to replace the whole thing. Is this a scam or legit? He said fillings won't last as long depending on the skill of the dentist who did them and also if you grind your teeth (I do). I really have no idea here!

Hey couropita, I have a long history of dental work (fillings, multiple root canals, several crowns, etc.) and what your dentist said is true -- not all fillings last. They shrink and crack, and you don't want bacteria to slip through those fissures.

$750 is a lot of dollars, but cheaper than root canals in the long run... those can cost twice as much. In the event that you want a second opinion, I wholeheartedly recommend my dentist, the first dentist I've ever had who I totally trust in regards to both treatment and fees. First dentist ever who blocked all the pain for a bottom molar cavity filling!! His office is at Mission & 20th.

ETA: For 3 fillings, $750 seems way on the high end. I'm under the impression that fillings cost ~$100. Ask your dentist for a better cost breakdown if you can. I hate how pricing for the dental industry is unregulated and scammy.

Thanks, lizzielove! You eased my mind a million percent! I wish I could make it up to sf to see your dentist but I'm stuck in South Bay. I think I will seek out a more reasonably priced dentist though!

I would consider supplementing with A, D, and maybe calcium? If part of the problem is your gums, I would also think about trying omega 3 (they have a good one made from algae--Ovega--at the Vitamin Store) to help with inflammation. I have gum issues and am trying to remember to take Omega 3 every day to see what happens, and I've been doing oil pulling with coconut oil. (Coconut oil seems way less gross than any of the other options and it's really not bad at all to do.)

I wanted to hop in here and mention something since I have been such a big fan of woo-woo oil pulling for so long. I went for a cleaning (finally! after almost 2 years. travel plans kept wrecking scheduling) and after the dentist yelled at me she told me things were in good shape. Even my crown over the broken tooth, which has been infected before, has been behaving (and good thing too, since it already had a canal, there is not much else to do about it).But what I wanted to say was that I kind of fell out of oil pulling about a month or two ago and got myself the special $15-a-tube sensodyne toothpaste and man, that shiitake really does stop the pain from cold (which had been bothering me for so long). I am SO impressed. I always thought that was BS but it really did make a difference. still no crazy bleeding gums and no pain either.

...But what I wanted to say was that I kind of fell out of oil pulling about a month or two ago and got myself the special $15-a-tube sensodyne toothpaste and man, that shiitake really does stop the pain from cold (which had been bothering me for so long). I am SO impressed. I always thought that was BS but it really did make a difference. still no crazy bleeding gums and no pain either.

This is good to know. I was recently thinking about trying that stuff, but I kept putting it off because it's expensive and I wasn't sure it'd make a difference.

My mother used to use it aaaaages ago and it kind of tasted like denture cream and looked like "flesh colored" foundation- they seem to have fixed up the formulation since then, because it is like normal toothpaste now (kind of crunchy though).

What I met just like this: I have some major gum issues too and my dentist said thin gums are genetic. fork our luck right. I don't think it has to do with veganism. Thank you for share information here

I have my share of dental woes (no insurance for years, then bad insurance, then some really awful dentists). I'm in the middle of getting a lot of work done now with a great dentist. Just had my wisdom teeth out (blergh). My dentist mentioned that she wants me to go paleo to avoid more dental work in the future, but yeah, that's not going to happen. You guys have made me feel better!

I went to the dentist after a year of oil pulling and it was my first visit with no cavities! The hygienist and dentist both thought my teeth were in amazing shape and the tooth that we were watching as a potential implant has not deteriorated at all, and is now easily fixed with a new crown.

Thanks everyone for sharing their experiences with it!

_________________My oven is bigger on the inside, and it produces lots of wibbly wobbly, cake wakey... stuff. - The PoopieB.

I've know I'd need to get my wisdom teeth eventually, but due to life and things I didn't bother getting the situation checked out until a few months ago.

There's no experience quite like the consultant looking at your wisdom teeth and going, "Oh. crepe."Something about how one of the teeth is growing in super extra crooked and it's going to be more of a pain than average to get out. So that's going to be a fun, dentistry thing I get to look forward to.

I've had a ton of dental work done. I've always had really bad teeth - most likely because my family didn't make me brush or floss and kept me on the bottle until I was three or four. I didn't start brushing my teeth twice a day until I was 15. I've had numerous cavities and fillings, several teeth pulled, braces for four years (complete with a herbst), wisdom teeth removal, the list goes on and on. I also have a really small mouth and had to have a few teeth pulled to make enough room before I had my braces put on. I was fortunate enough to have a wonderful pediatric dentist through most of that work, which has made me really comfortable at the dentist. I was also lucky when it came to my wisdom teeth - my orthodontist told me to have them removed as soon as I had my braces taken off. I didn't have any problems with them prior to the removal and she didn't want them to affect the rest of my teeth in the future. The other day a tooth in the front of my mouth started hurting really badly and I could feel a bump in my mouth. I hadn't been to the dentist in almost two years due to insurance issues and moving to a new city (it's weird when you've had the same dentist for over 10 years then become an adult and have to find a new one.) I just knew my tooth was infected and that I'd likely have to have a root canal. I went to an urgent care dental clinic on Friday and they confirmed my suspicions. The gave me some antibiotics and referred me to endo, who told me it would be two-three weeks before they would contact me about an appointment for my root canal. The pain became really bad over the weekend and the abscess grew quite a bit; I could feel it from the top of my gums all the way up to my nostril. My roommate ended up driving me to the ER last night and they drained the abscess the best they could (which hurt like you couldn't imagine) and gave me stronger antibiotics and some pain pills. I'm feeling so much better today. I got a call from the dentist an hour ago and he told me I can come in Monday morning for my root canal, and it turns out my insurance will cover it completely. I'm so relieved. I do have a few cavities that need to be treated, though, so I need to find a permanent dentist and have those taken care of.Do you all use fluoridated toothpaste? I love my toothpaste but it's fluoride-free and I should probably switch considering my dental history. Also, is oil pulling safe for people with fillings?

Epcarie, that is some scary stuff! Abscesses are nothing to fool with and yet they made you wait for weeks? Ridic. I had one a few years ago and it was terrifying (the bump growing in my gums, ugh).I have plenty of fillings (and a crown) and oil pulled just fine.I don't think we can get non-fluoride toothpaste here so I use fluoridated.

Baggy's wisdom teeth thing went well but one side still has pus draining (we went to get stitches out yesterday), so she got kicked up to the stronger antibiotics, which are making her so lethargic that she slept most of yesterday.

My dentist mentioned that she wants me to go paleo to avoid more dental work in the future,

BECAUSE CAVEMEN HAD GREAT TEETH.(i had to say something)

I just got back from the dento..... Baggy is infected and draining pus, had to go have lavage, poor thing. Tomorrow she goes back to get another look and if things are still bad we culture the bacteria and go nuclear on its asparagus with targeted treatment. I feel so bad because I healed so fast after mine (to be fair, there have been hygiene issues, and I can't physically make a 15 year old brush her teeth, but it has to be said).

Oh no! Poor Baggy! I hope the infection subsides quickly and that she feels better soon!

Epcarie, I hope you feel better soon as well! I have tons of fillings and crowns and the oilpulling works for me. I have read one or two articles that bad fillings maybe detoxed by oil pulling but it definitely has worked for me.

_________________My oven is bigger on the inside, and it produces lots of wibbly wobbly, cake wakey... stuff. - The PoopieB.

I'm so sure my wisdom teeth already grew through, like last year, or two years ago I can't remember, I took antibiotics for them! But now I have noticed I have teeth growing through at the top back of my mouth, because they were hurting me. So I don't know. But it's annoying.

I have my share of dental woes (no insurance for years, then bad insurance, then some really awful dentists). I'm in the middle of getting a lot of work done now with a great dentist. Just had my wisdom teeth out (blergh). My dentist mentioned that she wants me to go paleo to avoid more dental work in the future, but yeah, that's not going to happen. You guys have made me feel better!

one reason "paleo" is beneficial for tooth health is the increased intake of vitamins A, D, E, and K which are needed to facilitate minerals in the body - as well as the increase in saturated fat intake which helps absorption of these fat soluble vitamins. you could easily take a vegan approach to this concept by eating/supplementing with plant-based sources.